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PODCAST

Plain English

Jeff at Plain English

Improve your English and learn about the world at the same time. Plain English brings you short, modern stories about culture, science, travel, business, and everyday life, all told in clear, natural English designed for learners. You’ll grow your vocabulary, improve your listening skills, and build your confidence one episode at a time. Like the show? Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com and get a personalized learning path.

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All Episodes

21:01

A very big fuss over a little French word, “iel” |...

Plain English ·

2021/12/30

" The gender-neutral pronoun, “iel,” was recently added to the French dictionary, and is meant to be used when you don’t want to specify the gender of the person or people you’re talking about. “Iel” has been widely used and accepted among young people, but traditionalists are fiercely objecting to it. It’s clear these arguments are about more than just language. Plus, learn “point out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a

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23:50

UAE has new weekend plans | Learn the phrasal verb...

Plain English ·

2021/12/27

" The UAE announced that it’s changing its weekend from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday to match the western world. Friday has historically been the Islamic day for prayers, so to accommodate that tradition, the country is adopting a compromise. The UAE also gave everyone less than a month’s notice for the change. Plus, learn “decide on.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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23:06

The many uses of QR codes | Learn the phrasal verb...

Plain English ·

2021/12/23

" QR codes have a variety of uses in the modern economy. They help us do everything from purchasing train tickets to getting COVID tests. The technology was actually invented in 1994, but they’ve come a long way since then. Last week in lesson 425, we talked about the origin and rise of QR codes, and today’s lesson discusses the many uses for them. Plus, learn “fill out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript,

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23:28

‘Red’ (Taylor’s Version) is changing music industry...

Plain English ·

2021/12/20

" Taylor Swift rerecorded and rereleased her 2012 album ‘Red,’ and it’s making a statement across the music industry. The difference isn’t necessarily in the music, it’s in the money. Taylor’s 2021 album is allowing her to cash in more than in 2012, but it’s also changing contracts for new artists and record labels. Plus, learn what it means to “take something lying down.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript,

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21:23

The rise of QR codes | Learn the English expression...

Plain English ·

2021/12/16

QR codes have exploded in popularity in recent years. The codes are integrated in ordering at restaurants, getting vaccines at COVID testing centers, purchasing bus tickets, and more. But have you ever stopped to think about exactly how the little black a

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16:26

Pancake enthusiasts, fear not! Canada avoids a global...

Plain English ·

2021/12/13

" A weaker maple syrup harvest this year put Canada in a bit of a sticky situation. As the world leader in maple syrup production, Canada had to tap into its maple syrup reserves to avoid a global shortage. Pancake enthusiasts: keep calm, there will still be syrup! Plus, learn “tap into.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/424 -- Learning English should be fun

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17:52

Angela Merkel’s lasting legacy in Europe | Learn the...

Plain English ·

2021/12/09

" Angela Merkel has been the German chancellor since 2005. Since then, the world and Europe have endured the global financial crisis of 2008, Britain leaving the European Union, COVID-19, and others. Merkel was often the driving force and glue that held Europe together through crisis after crisis. Plus, learn “step aside.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/423 --

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19:29

End of the Angela Merkel era for Germany | Learn the...

Plain English ·

2021/12/06

" Germany is preparing to say goodbye to Angela Merkel, its center-right Chancellor of the past sixteen years. Her upbringing and academic studies seemed to guide her approach to governing. Merkel was widely popular and Germany progressed under her leadership, but not everything went well. Plus, learn “preside over.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/422 -- Learning

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20:32

Portugal bans bosses texting employees after hours |...

Plain English ·

2021/12/02

" Portugal’s parliament passed a new law that gives employees a “right to rest.” In practice, this means that bosses are no longer legally permitted to text or email their employees outside of working hours. The law also requires additional financial assistance for remote workers. Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast… Plus, learn “stick to.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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20:30

The end of one conglomerate era, and the beginning of...

Plain English ·

2021/11/29

" Big companies like Johnson & Johnson, Toshiba, and General Electric are breaking into smaller companies. In many cases, the smaller companies focused on just one business line are valued higher separately than combined as one conglomerate. But one industry is consolidating as these product-focused companies are breaking up. Plus, learn “at first glance.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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26:49

The five-star rating system isn’t working | Learn the...

Plain English ·

2021/11/25

" Leaving a five-star review has become customary for any experience that is excellent, good, average, or even acceptable, and anything below five-stars means terrible in the world of online reviews. As consumers, this system isn’t helpful in identifying the true high performers, and it makes it difficult for people or businesses to stand out from the crowd. Plus, learn “rave about.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free

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21:35

New COVID-19 treatment that comes in a pill bottle |...

Plain English ·

2021/11/22

" Merck and Pfizer have developed antiviral pills that are effective at reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Pfizer also pledged to make the pills accessible to lower-income countries. The new drugs are certainly providing reason for optimism and should be available soon, but there’s a catch. Plus, learn “a step forward.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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20:20

Vertical farming is on the rise | Learn the English...

Plain English ·

2021/11/18

" Vertical farming is a new way to farm that is done all indoors and – get this – doesn’t require any soil. There are many advantages to vertical farming, and the new technique has already shown a lot of promise for feeding the future. But it’s still in its early stages and has a few limitations. Plus, learn “take up space.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/417 --

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19:30

First successful pig-to-human kidney transplant |...

Plain English ·

2021/11/15

" Scientists temporarily attached a pig kidney to a human, and it worked for 54 days. This has the medical world excited and optimistic about the possibilities for future animal-to-human transplants, especially as an increasing number of people are needing kidney transplants. But the groundbreaking procedure also had several limitations. Plus, learn “hook up.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found

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21:28

Hello, you’ve reached the Bogota Anti-Machismo Calm...

Plain English ·

2021/11/11

" Bogota launched an anti-machismo “Calm Line” hotline to help men manage feelings that can lead to abuse. The pilot program launched last December, and 2,000 men have already taken advantage of the program. Bogota’s city government has a long tradition of using creative initiatives to solve societal problems. Plus, learn “root cause.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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23:25

The global supply chain has had better years | Learn...

Plain English ·

2021/11/08

" The global supply chain has had a rough couple of years. First, of course, there was the pandemic. Then, the container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal. To top it off, there have been several natural disasters that have added to the delays. This has led to shortages felt everywhere, and it doesn’t seem like things will be sorted out anytime soon. Plus, learn “stay afloat.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free

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25:00

A volcano in Spain has been erupting for a month |...

Plain English ·

2021/11/04

" The Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma in Spain has been erupting for a month, and unfortunately, it shows no signs of stopping. The full island still has not been evacuated, and some residents plan to wait it out in the toxic gas and ash. Plus, learn “at risk of.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/413 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our

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22:00

Part 2: the three-way international prisoner exchange...

Plain English ·

2021/11/01

" The U.S., China, and Canada came to an agreement to release three high-profile international prisoners. Last week’s lesson #411 covered how Meng Wanzhou and two Canadians named Michael were detained for over 1,000 days. The three countries came to a deal, but the U.S. and Canada are attempting to make it look like this wasn’t a hostage exchange. Plus, learn “out of your way.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free

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22:05

Meng Wanzhou and the two Michaels finally return home...

Plain English ·

2021/10/28

" Meng Wanzhou, Michael Spavor, and Michael Kovrig are three people that got tangled up in the American-Chinese rivalry. They all have something in common: they were detained by a foreign government and held for over 1,000 days. They also have this in common: they all went home on September 24, 2021. Plus, learn “against your will.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at:

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24:10

Inside Facebook going dark for six hours | Learn the...

Plain English ·

2021/10/25

" Earlier this month, Facebook and its entire portfolio of apps went dark for six hours. For most people, it was a minor inconvenience to not be able to get and give likes and text friends. But the outage got many people thinking about how interwoven Facebook is in our lives and businesses. Plus, learn “cut off.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/410 -- Learning

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